In conventional laser machining, an operator sets a welding condition with respect to a workpiece based on the operator's experience and intuition. Alternatively, the operator changes the welding condition repeatedly while verifying welding results, and finds a welding condition suitable for the workpiece.
Thus, PTL 1 has proposed an interactive NC (Numerical Control) device capable of setting a laser machining condition (laser power, oscillating frequency, duty, and the like) in response to a welding speed for material and a board thickness of a workpiece, in order to lead a machining condition without the need for experience of an operator or verification for each machining.
With reference to FIG. 6, conventional interactive NC device 101 is described. As shown in FIG. 6, interactive NC device 101 includes interactive unit 102, arithmetic processing unit 103, and storage unit 104. Interactive unit 102 includes display section 105, and interactive input section 106. Interactive input section 106 includes laser machining condition display key 107, ten-key 108, cursor key 109, and page key 110. Storage unit 104 stores laser machining condition table 111. Arithmetic processing unit 103 includes a NC program, and selects a laser machining condition based on a command speed input in interactive unit 102 and laser machining condition table 111 in storage unit 104.
Next, a method for setting a laser machining condition by interactive NC device 101 is described.
Firstly, formation of laser machining condition table 111 is described. An operator operates laser machining condition display key 107, ten-key 108, cursor key 109, and page key 110 of interactive input section 106, so as to set material and a board thickness of a workpiece. Then, the operator sets a laser machining condition (laser output, frequency, duty, and gas pressure) in response to a machining speed. Thus, laser machining condition table 111 is formed and stored in storage unit 104.
Next, execution of the NC program using laser machining condition table 111 is described. An operator sets material and a board thickness of a workpiece by interactive unit 102. Thus, the NC program is executed. Subsequently, when the operator sets a command speed by interactive unit 102, the NC program sets laser machining conditions (laser output, frequency, duty, and gas pressure) using the formed laser machining condition table 111.
As mentioned above, once an operator sets laser machining conditions corresponding to material, board thickness, and machining speed of a workpiece, it is not necessary to set subsequent laser machining conditions, and it is possible to set optimum laser machining conditions.